


Could have died

by water_and_jellyfish



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-11 01:17:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18419822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/water_and_jellyfish/pseuds/water_and_jellyfish
Summary: Oswald was shot and Edward is concerned about his friend's physical and mental health.





	Could have died

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't watched season 5, so my knowledge is based on spoilers and reviews. I apologise for any mistakes.

Oswald was sitting on a chair when Ed approached him. Penguin didn't have any will or strength to look at his friend. He didn't want to know the way Ed looked at him. What would he find in his eyes? Sympathy? Contempt? Pity? Worry? And certainly he didn't want Ed to look at his face. But here they were, alone in this room.  
''You could have died, Oswald!'' Riddler exclaimed clearly irritated. ''I told you we should have left this city!'' Edward went on as Oswald stayed silent. ''Why? What for? Gotham will never repay you! This city never cared about you or me or anyone!'' he pointed at Oswald and then at window.  
''This is my home, Ed,'' Penguin finally spoke, still avoiding looking at his friend. ''I used to have my dreams here, my family, friends, power... But, well, as you know, I've lost it all,'' he hit his thighs with his hands and then nervously played with his fingers. Oswald sighed and looked Ed into eyes.  
''Is that why you are trying to get yourself killed?!'' Ed yelled at Oswald.  
''I've lost everything. I've got nothing, Ed. Nothing, except for you and your friendship. How long will it take before I will lose it too? How long before we find each other at odds again?'' Oswald's word were bitter, full of regret and desperation. ''I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dragged you into this mess, Ed. I should have let you leave. Should have listened to you. I've lost my mother, my father. I used to be the king of Gotham, I'm no one now. I'm just limping man, who have lost his eye. You were right, Ed. Listening to my heart never brought me anything good.''  
Edward felt heartbroken at the sight of his friend always so strong, fighting back, never giving up now so broken, lost, hopeless. Ed knew that deep down inside Os always has been a bit insecure, afraid of another betrayal. In desperate need of friend, affection, even though he hurt anyone close to him. He didn't want anyone to see his friend like this.  
Moreover, those words hurt Ed more than he anticipated they could. He didn't want to hear it, he didn't want to be right. If Oswald thought he shouldn't listen to his feelings, did he want to get rid of them? Did he regret feeling them? Did he want to never have...? In the first place? No, did he maybe still...? After everything? No. Or perhaps? Was it the answer to the riddle of Oswald's behaviour? The answer to so many 'why's?  
''Both of us were right. You should put your feelings aside sometimes, but I should listen to them more often,'' Ed spoke more quietly. ''I'm not going to leave you alone, Oswald. I value our friendship very much and truth be told, I don't have any other things left, either,'' Riddler gently put his hand on Penguin's shoulder.  
''What about Lee? She's your friend.''  
''Not anymore, I'm afraid. I think now we are just accepting each other, maybe only for our past. She never has been a true friend, anyway. She has never accepted me the way you had.''  
''Well, Ed, who would accept us? We are but two freaks in the fallen city. We might die soon anyway and no one will ever care. History is going to forget us, forget this damned city. Like we never existed.''  
''Oswald,'' Ed bit his lip. ''Could you tell me something? Answer honestly? I need to know,'' he looked sorrowfully at Oswald.  
''Yes, Ed. Ask. This is the last thing I can give to you, honesty. I won't lie to you, my friend,'' he nodded.  
''Do you still love me, Oswald?'' Ed asked.  
''The answer is...'' he thought.  
Penguin quickly looked at his feet, then looked up and made serious, but tired and maybe surprised face.  
''Yes,'' he answered. Ed looked him into an eye and Oswald expected to find promised knife in his chest for saying this once more, but he found none. ''Even when I hated you, I couldn't stop loving you, Ed. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't stop, that's who I am,'' he shrugged with faint smile on his face. ''That's why I didn't kill you, gave up my revenge, saved you. Now you know, Ed. Don't worry, I won't kill any girlfriend of yours anymore, I've learnt my lesson. Though, I'm always going to be jealous,'' he tilted his head from one side to the other pondering.  
Ed let a sigh that souded like a substitute of laughter.  
''… correct,'' Ed thought.  
''Thank you, Oswald. I think I should repay you with some truth of mine now.''  
''If you wish so, I'm all ears.''  
''I cannot be bought, but I can be stolen with one glance. I'm worthless to one but priceless to two,'' Ed started.  
''I don't think that people of Gotham love me anymore. If they ever loved me.''  
''That's not what I meant. Listen, Oswald. I should have told you this long time ago, before any of this. I love you too, Oswald,'' Penguin opened up his mouth surprised by heard words and looked at his friend who seemed to paler and a bit nervous.  
''I appreciate your efforts, but Ed, I need no pity,'' he gathered his words finally. ''Don't pretend to be someone you are not.''  
''I'm not pretending, Oswald! I told you the truth. You asked me to listen to my heart, that's what I'm doing right now,'' Riddler nervously moved his hands in the air.  
''Why now, then?'' Penguin asked keeping tears in his eye at bay.  
''Because as you said, we might die soon. What have we to lose, anyway? Anything that happened between us is the result of our miscommunication,'' Ed put his hands on Oswald's shoulder and gripped him. ''You could have died.''  
''Yes, I know, you've said that already,'' Oswald fought an urge to roll his eye. It would look sily with him having only one eye.  
''That's not what I wanted to say. Look, Oswald, you could have died when we met in the forest, when I shot you, when I bombed Haven and today.''  
''And when Maroni tried to crush me in the car. Yet I'm still here, hooray me!'' Penguin faux-cheered.  
''Don't you think it means something?'' Ed raised an eyebrow like he was hinting an answer.  
''We are meant for each other,'' Oswald smirked.  
''Yes, we are,'' Ed grinned. They laughed together. ''Do you believe me now?'' he took Oswald's hand.  
Oswald thought he was losing his mind. This wasn't possible, was it? This was just the result of losing his eye. Those were hallucinations, right? For a shitty day this was quite the best day in his life. He liked that. He touched gently Ed's cheek.  
''I do believe you, Ed.''  
''I wasn't prepared for any of this, so will you please forgive me, but I think we should get married,'' Ed spoke quite unexpectedly.  
''Are you... proposing to me?'' Oswald let a chuckle.  
''Yes, but as I said I wasn't prepared so I don't have any ring. We know each other well enough, your behaviour is no surprise to me, mine won't shock you. We lived together. So, what you'd say?''  
Oswald jumped at Edward and hugged him tightly.  
''I think it's lovely idea, Ed! Harvey was wedding officiant for Jim and Lee, maybe he could be one for us.''  
''For a lack of better idea, I agree on that. But before we ask him to get us married, I believe we have wedding rings to steal,'' Ed smiled mischievously.  
''What we are waiting for, then?'' Oswald got up and excitedly opened up the door. He felt like jumping if not for his bad leg.


End file.
